Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

The Local Skinny! “Little Mermaid” Performance Brings People Together

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Ariel or Sebastian or Flounder or King Triton may not have said it in so many words, but Victoria Huggins did: The story of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is about pursuing your dreams, no matter what.

And in a way, that’s exactly what a stalwart group of local leaders did to make McGregor Hall a reality – they pursued their dream of having a top-notch venue right in the middle of Henderson.

Huggins donned a mermaid’s costume and a wavy, red wig to bring Ariel to life during eight different performances of “The Little Mermaid,” which ended with a Sunday matinee.

In a recent TownTalk interview, Huggins told John C. Rose that she loved performing at McGregor Hall – she also played Belle in the 2019 production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”

And although she lives in Moore County, Huggins didn’t hesitate to audition for the role of Ariel – McGregor Hall just keeps calling her back, it seems.

From all reports, audiences thoroughly enjoyed the shows – there were two shows specifically for schoolchildren – that took place over the past two weekends.

As word gets out about the lovely facility and the local – and not-so-local – talent involved in creating live theatre, McGregor Hall is sure to stay on a positive trajectory.

That’s a good thing for McGregor Hall. And for Henderson.

 

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Henderson Police Investigate Separate Weekend Incidents That Sent Two To Hospital

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Henderson police are investigating separate incidents that occurred on Saturday, Nov. 5 which sent two men to the hospital – one the result of a hit-and-run and the second the result of a physical altercation.

A pedestrian was struck by a car about 7 p.m. Saturday evening while he was walking along US 1 between Highway NC 39 and Vance Mill Road, according to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow.

Antione Simpson, who was alert and stable at the scene, was taken from a local medical facility to Durham for treatment, Barrow reported in a press statement.

“The suspected vehicle continued to travel north on US 1 and failed to
stop,” Barrow said. The vehicle was described as a 2003-2007 black Cadillac CTS.

An update on his condition was not available Monday.

Then about 10 p.m., officers arrived at the Little Hotel, 1010 S. Garnett St. and found a 65-year-old man with injuries, including cuts, abrasions and a leg wound.

Barrow identified the victim as Matt Kinard. The altercation had occurred
between Kinard and another resident of the Little Hotel.
“At the time of the incident Kinard was unable to give the name of the
other person or many details about what occurred,” Barrow said in a press statement. Kinard had abrasions and cuts to his face and also sustained a penetrating wound to his
leg. Blood and a knife were found in the area of the assault. Kinard was
transported to a local medical facility and later transported to Durham.

An update on his condition was not available Monday.
Anyone has information about these incidents or about any ongoing criminal activity, is urged to contact Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers at 252.492.1925 or
P3 app, call the police department at 252.438.4141, through Facebook or via
Instagram.

WIZS Local, Live Election Coverage

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Tune in to WIZS radio Tuesday evening for a local perspective on tomorrow’s mid-term election results.

Brandon Boyd joins John C. Rose live on the air through the evening, commenting on state and national races, overall voter turnout and trends – all while keeping a keen eye on local races that affect Vance County and the WIZS listening area.

Candidates in some local races are running unopposed, but several other races will be decided following Tuesday’s vote.

Incumbent Curtis Brame and challenger Patrick Bailey are vying for the job of Vance County Sheriff. There’s also a close race for sheriff in Granville County, which has three challengers vying for the job.

In the race for N.C. House District 32, incumbent Terry Garrison is being challenged by political newcomer Frank Sossamon.

Mark Speed and Lisa Barnes are running for the N.C. Senate to represent District 11, which includes Henderson and Vance County.

But there are other state races that have significance locally, including district court judgeships, court of appeals races and battles for seats on the state Supreme Court.

Carolyn Thompson and Julee Flood face each other in a race for district court seat 8, and Don Davis and Sandy Smith are each hopeful to take the U.S. House District 1 election.

Boyd said he hopes others enjoy hearing and seeing tomorrow’s election results as much as he does.

“It’s going to be so much fun watching this thing play out from coast to coast,” he said.

As polls close in the East and then later through the evening on the West Coast, Boyd said he is interested in watching national races here in North Carolina with the Cheri Beasley-TeddBudd matchup for U.S. Senate – but also named Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona as key states to watch.

 

 

 

WIZS WILL PROVIDE LOCAL, LIVE ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE STARTING AT 7:30 P.M. ON NOV. 8.

HERE IN VANCE COUNTY, YOU’LL RECEIVE INFORMATION ON THE VANCE COUNTY SHERIFF’S RACE, THE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 2 RACE AND THE LATEST ON THE NC HOUSE 32 RACE.

JOIN US RIGHT HERE AT 1450 AM / 100.1 FM AND STREAMED LIVE ANYWHERE YOU GO BY CLICKING ON LISTEN LIVE AT WIZS.COM.  (player.listenlive.co/53101)

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Fall Planted Bulbs

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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Reminder: Turn Back Clocks, Test Smoke Alarms This Weekend

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-information courtesy of American Red Cross

 As daylight saving time ends on Nov. 6, the American Red Cross reminds people that it’s also a good time to test smoke alarms to stay safe from home fires.

“Home fires claim more lives in a typical year than all natural disasters combined, but working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half,” said Barry Porter, Regional CEO for the American Red Cross Eastern North Carolina region. “The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out. When you turn your clocks back this weekend, also test your smoke alarms to help prevent a tragedy in your home.”

Over the past month, local Red Cross volunteers responded to help 306 people suddenly displaced in Eastern North Carolina affected by 100 home fires, which account for most of the more than 60,000 disasters that the Red Cross responds to annually across the country.

When turning your clocks back this weekend, test your smoke alarms and replace the batteries if needed. Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to create and practice with your family, or download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores.

  • Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.
  • Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older. Components such as sensors can become less sensitive over time. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions.
  • Practice your two-minute home fire escape plan. Make sure everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to escape a burning home before it’s too late.
  • Include at least two ways to get out of every room and select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone can meet.

Since October 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign with community partners has saved at least 1,414 lives — including 43 in North Carolina — by educating families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans and installing more than 2.4 million free smoke alarms in high-risk neighborhoods across the country. Visit redcross.org/homefires for more information.

The Red Cross Home Fire Campaign is made possible with generous financial donations from our North Carolina’s statewide presenting Sound the Alarm sponsor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

Farmland Preservation Grant Applications Due Dec. 19

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-information courtesy of the N.C. Department of Agriculture

County governments and nonprofit groups may now apply for funding assistance from the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund for farmland preservation projects. Applicants have until Dec. 19 to apply.

“The latest study from the American Farmland Trust projects North Carolina losing more than a million acres of agricultural land over the next 20 years,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “These Farmland Preservation grants provide options for families and are critical in saving family farms across our state.”

Grants are available for agricultural conservation easements on working lands used for agricultural production; to support public-private enterprise programs that promote profitable and sustainable agricultural, horticultural and forestland activities; and for the development of agricultural plans.

Landowners interested in preserving their farms through conservation easements must work with county governments or land trusts to apply for grant funds. If awarded a grant in which the application requests funds for the conservation easement purchase value, landowners will be compensated for the purchase of the development rights.

Grant applications and guidelines are available online at www.ncadfp.org/Cycle16.htm. For more information, call the Farmland Preservation office at 919.707.3074.

Granville Commissioners Begin Roles With NCACC

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Two Granville County commissioners have begun leadership roles with the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.

The NCACC kicked off a new term with the swearing in of new district directors, which include local commissioners Tony Cozart and Zelodis Jay, according to information from the NCACC.

Jay begins a two-year term as the District 8 director, which represents Granville, Person, Vance, Warren, and Franklin counties for a two-year term. Cozart will chair the group’s Public Education Steering Committee. He was appointed by incoming NCACC president Tracey Johnson to this role.

“I am honored to have been selected to serve as District 8 representative on the NCACC Board of Directors,” Jay said. “This role will give me the opportunity to serve the residents and advance the interests of Granville County as well as our fellow citizens of Person, Vance, Warren and Franklin counties on a statewide  level.”

TownTalk: ‘Clearview Today’ Show Airs On WIZS M-F At 10 A.M.

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One of the team members at Clearview Church describes pastor Dr. Abidan Shah as a scholar with a pastor’s heart. That’s a winning combination, to be sure. And the Henderson church has launched a new show called Clearview Today to share his insights and message to others.

John Galantis and Ryan Hill are two members of the Clearview team who help produce the programs that emanate from Clearview, and they spoke with John C. Rose on Thursday’s TownTalk to shed a little light on the origins of the new show, which can be found Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. right here on WIZS.

Both said they were excited about the new platform, which also gives listeners a chance to interact with Shah each week.

There’s a dedicated phone line – 252.582.5028 – for listeners to make comments or to ask questions. The Friday show answers those questions from listeners, Hill said. “We (will) read and respond as best we can,” he added.

One of the biggest things that drives the Gospel, Galantis said, is God’s call to his people to take the Gospel into the world. “It’s very important that the conversation doesn’t die,” he said.

Hill said the show is another way to take the Gospel into the world. “We build a partnership with the people who are listening,” he said.

Shah and the half dozen or so team members at the church regularly sit down over lunch to discuss important topics, but the team routinely left with valuable life lessons. The podcasts arose from such meetings, and then, Galantis explained, they took it a step further:

What would happen if, instead of five or six people benefitting from Shah’s talks, “it were radically elevated to hundreds of people?”

From there the group created a daily show, related to the Bible, but also relevant to current situations and today’s issues.

The Clearview Today show’s signature line is “engages the mind and heart for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

There are deep truths to be found in the Bible, and Galantis said Shah’s insights are powerful.

“But you don’t need a PhD. to grasp some of these truths,” he said. Shah translates those deep truths that a layperson can understand, all the while enjoying the learning that is taking place.

Both men attribute having a strong collaborative team that engages and strategizes to achieve the common goal of bringing the Word to others.

“We trace God’s hand through all of that,” Hill said.

Galantis agreed. “Sometimes it’s difficult to see God’s hand when it’s happening,” he said. Most of life is looking back and coming to God. When he looks back at where the church was one year, five years, 10 years ago – “that’s how I’ve seen how God has worked.”

Visit www.clearviewtodayshow.com

Bridgestone Bandag Gets $450,000 Reuse Grant For Expansion Project

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Information courtesy of Terry Hobgood, Granville County public information officer

The North Carolina Department of Commerce has announced the award of a Building Reuse Grant in the Existing Building category to Bridgestone Bandag, LLC of Oxford. A $450,000 grant will support the renovation of a 225,000 square-foot building. Bridgestone Bandag will invest $1,623,990 into the project that will create 61 new jobs in Granville County.

“Granville County is excited to assist a longstanding industry like Bridgestone Bandag in receiving this Building Reuse Grant,” said Economic Development Director Harry Mills. “Granville’s Economic Development Office is ready and able to assist our existing industries with opportunities like this that help expand and solidify their presence in our community. Bridgestone Bandag is showing their commitment to Granville County with this major investment, and we are equally committed to helping them succeed.”

“Investments in rural North Carolina have a positive impact on our state’s overall success,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “This grant helps communities like Granville County create good jobs, improve the quality of life of their residents and boost the local economy.”

“I’m especially proud to see this latest spur of new businesses and job creation in North Carolina’s rural communities like Granville County,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “Building Reuse grants help local governments revive buildings in their communities that allow them to take center stage in North Carolina’s economic development wins.”

The North Carolina Building Reuse Program provides grants to local governments to renovate and/or expand vacant buildings or buildings currently occupied by existing companies that will lead to the creation of new jobs in rural counties categorized as Tier 1 or Tier 2. Granville is a Tier 2 county.

Bridgestone Bandag is a manufacturer of tread rubber used for premium retreaded tires at their location on West Industry Dr. in Oxford. For more information, visit their website:  https://www.bandag.com/en-us/index

TownTalk: Preparing For Open Enrollment For Medicare

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The Open Enrollment for Medicare is now underway, and it is the time for those enrolled in Medicare to do a little research and decide if they need to make any changes in their current plans. The open enrollment period for Medicare ends Dec. 7.

Lisa Barker is the Northeast regional manager for SHIIP – Seniors Health Insurance Information Program – a consumer information division of the N.C. Department of Insurance. Barker told WIZS recently that there are SHIIP coordinators in each of the state’s 100 counties. Theirs is an assist-only mode, however.

“We are not insurance agents and we don’t sell insurance,” Barker said, but they can help people compare plans and help to navigate through an insurance system that can seem complicated at times.

Rather, SHIIP counselors assist people who do receive Medicare with questions they may have, whether it’s Medicare, Medicare Part B, supplements or understanding long-term care insurance.

With 2.3 million Medicare beneficiaries in the state, Barker said it’s important to understand that it’s important to review plans and coverage each year. Here is a list of phone numbers for coordinating sites in the four-county area:

  • Vance County – 252.430.0257
  • Granville County – 919.693.1930
  • Warren County – 252.257-3111
  • Franklin County – 919.496.1131

By sitting down with a SHIIP counselor, Barker said individuals can review their current medications and physicians to make sure they don’t need to switch to a different plan.

“Medicare beneficiaries can compare all the plans and determine if they want to switch for the new year,” she explained.

“We can assist enrolling them in a new plan,” Barker continued. “Even if they’re happy with their current plan, it’s just a good idea to come in and talk – just so you know your money is being spent in the best way possible.”

Changes must be made by Dec. 7 to guarantee coverage continues without interruption on Jan. 1, 2023.

“Medicare plans and prices change, N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said. “It is important for Medicare beneficiaries to take advantage of the Open Enrollment period by contacting local SHIIP counselors to save money, improve your coverage or both.”

Make sure you contact your local SHIIP counselor before deciding about coverage because you may be able to receive more affordable and better Medicare health and/or drug plan options in your area. For example, even if you are satisfied with your current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, there may be another plan in your area that covers your health care and/or drugs at a better price.

Barker said she’s been involved in SHIIP in one way or another since 1998. She recalled an older couple who came to her a few years ago to review their plans. Plans had changed since they were initially enrolled in Medicaid, and their monthly premiums were going from $17 to $60.

Upon review of medications and copays, Barker said, the couple could continue with their current plan, but it would be much more expensive. Barker helped them find a new plan, which saved them more than $6,000 a year – and had lower copays.

“I tell this story often because, for them, it comes down to the cost of insurance versus food and electricity…the hugs from them and the relief on their face was priceless,” she added.

Making an appointment with a SHIIP counselor is one way to stay updated and educated on the changes in Medicare and the all the other pieces of the insurance puzzle.

But Barker cautioned individuals about sharing their personal information with others who claim to be working on your behalf, but who may really be trying to gain that personal information to be used in fraudulent ways.

“You want to make sure you’re protecting yourself,” she said. “If they’re asking you for too much personal identifying information,” be wary.

“The North Carolina Department of Insurance or SHIIP is never going to go door-to-door asking for information,” she said. Make sure you’re not giving out that information to someone who contacts you – whether by phone, personal visit, email, text or other written correspondence.

“If you have questions about something you received that is questionable, that’s a really good time to reach out to SHIIP, 855.408.1212.

Roughly $68 billion is lost each year to Medicare fraud.

Individuals also should regularly review their Medicare Summary Notices to verify that all charged listed are actually for the services that were provided by your healthcare professionals.  Ask questions if you think something looks suspicious.  It doesn’t hurt to question a charge.  Also, simple mistakes can happen.  When typing the number 10 someone could accidently hit the zero a second time and make the charge 100.  SHIIP can help individuals file a Medicare fraud claim.

Visit www.ncshiip.com to learn more.